


Worth It

by tabbytabbytabby



Series: Bad Things Happen Bingo 3 [14]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Bad Things Happen Bingo, Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, Forehead Kisses, Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, M/M, Sick Evan "Buck" Buckley, Sickfic, Soft Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:09:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27577652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tabbytabbytabby/pseuds/tabbytabbytabby
Summary: When Buck gets a cold, Eddie takes care of him.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Series: Bad Things Happen Bingo 3 [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1485908
Comments: 32
Kudos: 281





	Worth It

**Author's Note:**

> For the anon on Tumblr who wanted Sore Throat for Bad Things Happen Bingo. It's been a minute since I wrote these two, and I've missed them. So it was nice to get back into it.

Buck's dying. That's the only way to explain the suffering he's currently enduring. Unless he's already dead and this is some form of endless torture. If so, he's sorry for whatever he ever did to deserve this hell. 

"Please make it stop," he croaks.

"It would feel better if you'd stop talking and let your throat rest," an amused voice says from nearby. 

Buck peeks an eye open to see Eddie standing in the doorway. Definitely not in hell then if Eddie is here. This has to be heaven. 

Eddie's steps falter on his way towards him. "Jesus Buck," he mutters. He sits down next to Buck on the bed and puts the back in his hand to his forehead. "You're not as warm as you were, so that's a good sign."

"I feel like shit," Buck grumbles. 

"You're sick," Eddie reminds him. "But you'll be fine in a few days. You just need to rest and hydrate and actually take your medicine."

Buck wrinkles his nose, "It tastes bad."

Eddie shakes his head, "You're behaving worse than Christopher when he's sick."

"Not a fair comparison," Buck says. "That kid is a saint."

"You haven't seen him with the flu," Eddie says. 

Buck shrugs, "I doubt he's that bad."

"Well he's better than you, that's for sure," Eddie says. "He at least takes his medicine."

"I…" Buck winces at the sudden change in pitch and strain on his throat. He gratefully takes the water Eddie hands him and takes a few greedy gulps. It helps sooth the age ache, but only minutely. 

Eddie sighs and runs a hand down Buck's back. Buck leans into the touch. "I guess I could take the medicine."

Eddie nods, "I'll go grab it."

Eddie goes to stand, but Buck stops him with a hand on his arm before he can move too far away. "Hey Eddie?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for letting me stay here and taking care of me," Buck says. "Even if I have been a horrible patient."

"The worst," Eddie says. He surprises Buck by leaning down and kissing his forehead. "But you're worth it."

He's gone before Buck has a chance to respond, leaving Buck with the lingering feeling of his lips on his skin, and a warmth spreading through him that has nothing to do with being sick. 

Buck drifts a bit after that, only to wake to the feeling of fingers brushing through his hair. He opens an eye to see Eddie smiling down at him. “I know I said I’d bring you medicine, and I have, but I thought you might want to eat first. So I brought soup.”

Buck eyes the bowl on the nightstand and feels his stomach grumble. “Homemade?”

“Yeah, Pepa brought some over when she heard you were sick.”

“Okay then I’m definitely eating that first,” Buck says.

He sits up and Eddie moves the pillows up behind him so he can lean back against them. Once Buck is settled he places the tray on his lap and nods his head towards the nightstand. “I got you fresh water too.”

“You really are being too good to me,” Buck says. “I should get sick more often.”

“Please don’t.”

Buck grins, “Why? Am I that much of a menace?”

“Yes,” Eddie laughs. His face softens and he averts his gaze. “But I also don’t like seeing you sick.” He clears his throat. “I should…”

“Will you stay?” Buck cuts in. When Eddie raises an eyebrow, he smiles. “You know I don’t like eating alone, and this soup shouldn’t go to waste.”

“Pepa said it was only for you,” Eddie says.

“It can be our secret,” Buck tells him.

Eddie chuckles, “Fine. I’ll be back.”

Buck sips on his soup, feeling himself relax as the warm chicken broth works its way down his sore throat. Eddie returns a few minutes later with his own steaming bowl. He sits next to Buck and reaches for the remote, turning the TV on. 

“Anything you want to watch?” Eddie asks him.

Buck shrugs, “Nah, you can pick.”

“Now I know you’re really not feeling well,” Eddie says. “You never let me pick.”

“Maybe I just want to thank you for doing so much for me today,” Buck says.

“Buck I haven’t done anything.”

“You have,” Buck argues. He takes another bite of his soup, and chews thoughtfully. “And I’m just talking about today, Eds. You’re always looking out for me. But...”

“And you look out for me too,” Eddie says. “It’s what we do.”

Buck nods, and turns his gaze to Eddie. “Yeah, I know. But this feels different.”

“Maybe because, despite your dramatics, neither one of us are in danger of dying,” Eddie suggests.

“True,” Buck says. “But…”

“What’s on your mind, Buck?”

“You really want to know?” Buck laughs.

“Of course I do.”

“I like this,” Buck says. “I mean, not being sick, but just being here with you. Spending time together. It’s the best part of my day.” And Buck really should stop talking. He’s said too much and, “I’ve made things weird, haven’t I?”

Eddie’s spoon clatters into his bowl and he puts it aside. Buck mirrors his movement, preparing for what, he doesn’t know. But it seems like the right thing to do. Eddie moves closer until he’s hovering over him. He puts his hand on Buck’s neck and brushes his fingers across the skin there as he smiles, something soft and fond. “You haven’t made things weird.”

“Oh good, because if I did I could just blame my admitting my feelings for you on being sick,” Buck says.

“You have feelings for me?”

Buck inhales sharply, too fast. He pushes Eddie away as he starts coughing, sending flashes of pain through his already aching throat. “Oh my god,” he groans. “I hate this.”

Eddie rubs his back in soothing circles as Buck bends over with his head in his hands. “Okay?”

“No,” Buck moans. “I’m sick and feel like shit and this was the least romantic way ever for me to tell you I…” He sighs. “Look can we just pretend this didn’t happen?”

“We could,” Eddie says. “But I really don’t want to.”

Buck looks up at him, “Why? So you can make fun of me for it?”

Eddie rolls his eyes, “No. Because I have feelings for you too, Buck.”

“You do?” Buck asks, feeling hope spring alive in his chest. 

“Yes.”

“You sure? Even after all this?”

“It’s going to take a lot more than some cold to make me not love you,” Eddie tells him.

He says it with so much certainty that Buck’s chest aches with the need to kiss him. But he can’t. Because he’s sick. “I love you, obviously,” Buck says. “But I’m pretty sure this is the worst timed confession ever because it means I can’t kiss you.”

He pouts and Eddie smiles, “Can’t you?”

“No! I’m sick, and I’m not about to risk getting you sick.”

“I’d live,” Eddie tells him. He leans closer, and laughs when Buck shoves his face away. “You’re lucky I know you have feelings for me, otherwise I’d be offended.”

“Just you wait until I’m better,” Buck tells him.

“Guess we better get you rested up then,” Eddie says. He moves back across the bed and reaches for his bowl of soup, as if things are still perfectly normal. As if their worlds hadn’t just been completely changed in the last few minutes. And maybe they hadn’t. Sure, the words had been said, but that doesn’t mean things between them are different. They’re still the same people they were five minutes ago. 

“Eat your soup before it gets cold,” Eddie says. “And then you’re going to take your medicine and relax.”

“And you’ll be here?” Buck asks hopefully.

Eddie smiles, “I’m not going anywhere.”

Buck finishes the rest of his soup, relieved that it’s still somewhat warm. He’d hate to let Pepa’s soup go to waste. When he’s done, reaches for the bottle of cough syrup on the nightstand and pours himself a cup. It tastes horrible, but as long as it does its job he’s not going to complain. Well, too much. 

He’s barely replaced the cap on the medicine when he feels a tug on his arm. Eddie’s looking at him expectantly. “Come here.”

“What?”

“Get over here,” Eddie says. He pulls gently until Buck moves across the bed, finding himself tucked into Eddie’s strong arms, with his head resting in the crook of his neck. 

“What’s happening here?” Buck asks him.

Eddie snorts, “It’s called cuddling, Buck.”

“Uh huh, I know that. But since when are you a cuddler?”

“Since now,” Eddie says. “But you don’t want to…”

“I didn’t say that,” Buck says, tightening his arm around Eddie’s middle.

“Then relax and get some sleep,” Eddie says. “I’ll be here when you wake up.”

Buck yawns and snuggles further into Eddie’s arms, feeling himself relax. “You’re going to cuddle me better,” Buck mumbles. 

“I’m pretty sure it’ll be the medicine making you better,” Eddie says.

“No, it’s you.” Buck argues. 

Buck’s eyes slip closed as the medicine starts to take effect. That, paired with Eddie’s warmth surrounding him, his him drifting off. He’s on the edge of sleep when he feels Eddie press a kiss to the top of his head. He falls asleep with a smile on his face, knowing Eddie will be here when he wakes up.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Kudos/comments make my day 💜  
> You can find me [here on tumblr](http://tabbytabbytabby.tumblr.com/)


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